The second attempt in two years to get Parliament to pass a law banning the use of replacement workers during strikes and lockouts will go to a vote in the House of Commons on October 25. The Canadian Media Guild is calling on its members, the vast majority of whom work for federally regulated employers who would be bound by the legislation, to ask their MPs to support the bill.

“Labour came really close to getting this anti-scab legislation passed the last time and it’s important that it go through this time,” said Arnold Amber, president of the CBC branch of the CMG and a member of the executive council of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Imagine how angry we would have been last year during the CBC lockout if, while we were marching around outside, scabs were brought in to do our work. CBC management did not do that, but the law is necessary to prevent it from happening to any group of workers.”

The CLC has launched a national campaign to help get the private member’s bill introduced by Bloc Qu